Hard Stat Cap of 18?

[Charwoman Gene]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/news/3...ing-skills-ability-scores-14.html#post5802061

So ability scores are important, but I don't think maxing out an ability score will be as uber important as it has been in some editions. You get stats, and then you choose your race and class. You race could give you a stat bump, and then your class could give you a stat bump too. So if you want to synergize you can, which could bring you a lot closer to that hard stat cap without rolling or point buying that 18.

Emphasis mine.

So basically, your ability scores can't go over 18 under basic circumstances, even with racial and class bonuses.

That's my read of this.

 

[Rechan]

I'm ok with that.

In fact I think it would be neat if they could never say, go over 20 even after level bumps, and you'd need to get A magical item to achieve 21 (the ultimate cap).

 

[Number48]

Is this necessary? Stats have natural caps as it is. You can't have higher than X from character creation and you can never get more than Y from level increase for a total of Z. What does a stat cap lower than Z accomplish for the mechanics or story? In what way does that make a better game?

 

[Deadboy]

I really hope that doesn't end up being the case. I really liked how in 3e and 4e you could get your stats above 18 and become high fantasy superheroes, and especially in 4e where you could do it without requiring being bedecked in stat-boosting magic.

The sound of what he was saying shortly after what you quoted made it sound like they were going to bring back the stat-boosting items, which is an enormous disappointment to me. I shouldn't need magic to be badass.

Fortunately, he also made it sound like it was only something they were kicking around and not set in stone.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I have a hard time seeing a cap as a good thing.

 

[Tilenas]

Is this necessary? Stats have natural caps as it is. You can't have higher than X from character creation and you can never get more than Y from level increase for a total of Z. What does a stat cap lower than Z accomplish for the mechanics or story? In what way does that make a better game?

That's not a cap. That's having to raise your prime stat(s) every way you can, leaving all others by the wayside.
The OP is hinting at the opportunity to take of these other stats, lessening the huge disconnect between "needed" and "unneded" stats in 3/4e.

 

[CleverNickName]

So basically, your ability scores can't go over 18 under basic circumstances, even with racial and class bonuses.

That's my read of this.

I houseruled this a long time ago in 3.5E.

 

[ferratus]

I like the idea of 18 being the peak of human physical perfection. I'm not sure if I like the idea of limiting it to other races, as I could probably accept demi-humans as having stats that can reach 19 or 20.

However, by capping the stats at 18, any level-based or adventure-based increases in stats are free to placed in other stats and broaden your character. That's a very good thing in my book.

A hard cap at 18 does ensure that you absolutely need a racial negative though. Otherwise when someone naturally rolled an 18, you would get super-smart half-orcs or super-strong halflings. But with a racial negative, nobody will want to spoil a perfect 18.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

I don't think having a cap is a problem, you still have a "cap" in 3e and 4e when an ability score is maxed out. It is that "maxing out" mentality though that is at the root of the problem and it would seem that it is this maxing out thing that is being addressed.

From what I can see so far, Monte and his team are addressing this by:

- Reducing the number increases as in the orc may still be a threat as you go up levels. Your numbers might be only slightly better but it is the extra things your character can do that makes them powerful, not how high their bonuses are. It is consistency perhaps that is increased rather than raw power and numbers; the consistency is increased by certain abilities/powers rather than ever-increasing modifiers.

- Reducing the need to have uber stats. If you have a strength of 13, then there's a whole heap of things you can automatically do and have hand-waived. A strength of 15 means maybe a couple more things become automatic but there's a diminishing returns dynamic going on here. By the time you get to a strength of 18 or whatever the cap is, it most likely is only the most minor of improvements aside from being able to say that your character is the strongest.

I'm filling in a few gaps here (perhaps incorrectly), but at the moment with what info we have, that would be my gauge on it.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Maliki67]

I like the idea of 18 being the peak of human physical perfection. I'm not sure if I like the idea of limiting it to other races, as I could probably accept demi-humans as having stats that can reach 19 or 20.

I agree a cap of 18 for humans with a point or two higher for demi-humans (like a 19 or 20 for a dwarves constitution. for example.)